Hinge device

Abstract

A hinge device of a portable terminal connects a keyboard member to a comparatively massive display member and has cam and friction mechanisms. The cam mechanism has a fixing cam for axially receiving a shaft which extends into a cam case having a rotation arresting mechanism fixed on the shaft, a slider cam provided slidably in a manner to confront the fixing cam restrained in its rotation by the cam case, and an elastic mechanism for pressing the slider cam toward the fixing cam. The friction mechanism has a friction ring attached to the shaft and fitted into the friction case under pressure with a rotatable rotation arresting mechanism, so that both of automatic close lock function from a predetermined closed angle between the first and second members and a free stop function when opening and closing operation of the first and second members can be realized together without strain.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This is a divisional of application Ser. No. 10 / 746,580 filed Dec. 24, 2003 which is incorporated here by reference, and which claimed priority on Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-375954 filed Dec. 26, 2002, which claim is repeated here.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to a hinge device used for a portable intelligence terminal structured with a first member composed of a keyboard main body and a second member composed of a display device, in particular, suitable for use in connecting the second member, which is comparatively massive at a portion of the display device, to the first member in a openable and closable manner relatively. [0004] 2. Description of the Relevant Art [0005] Conventionally, as this kind of a hinge device, a technology disclosed in a Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2000-337008 is well-known. [0006] A hinge device disclosed in this laid-open patent o...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide a hinge device for a portable intelligence terminal which can realize both an automatic closed lock function from a predetermined closed angle and a free-stop function at the time of opening and closing operation at the same time with a structure as simple as possible, when an opening and closing operation of a display device, which is comparatively massive second member, is conducted with regard to a keyboard main body, being the first member.

Problems solved by technology

Since a purpose of a hinge device shown in the laid-open patent official gazette is to control an opening-and-closing operation of the display device, being the second member, to the keyboard main body, being the first member, only with a cam mechanism, there arises a disadvantage that even for a compact type portable intelligence terminal having a comparatively massive display device, being the second member, it is difficult to realize both an automatic closed lock function from a predetermined closed angle, and a free-stop function at the time of opening and closing operation with regard to the keyboard main body, being the first member, of the display device.

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